Arun Kumar Singh formally assumes charge as Indian envoy in USIndia & World

Mr Arun Kumar, the new Indian envoy to the US, has formally assumed the charges after presenting copies of credentials to the Office of Chief of Protocol at the State Department. He will present his formal credentials before President Barack Obama at a later date.

He served as Indian envoy to France till recently, where he was instrumental in the historic Paris visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is 24th Indian Ambassador to the US. He earlier served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Washington from October 2008 to April 2013.

The 1979 batch IFS officer, played pivotal role in strengthening the Indo-US ties in the first term of the Obama Administration, during this period then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited US in 2009 and the US President Obama came to India a year later in 2010.

Mr Singh also served in New York at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN from 1993 to 1997 as Counselor.Before taking charge in France, he served as India's ambassador to Israel from April 2005 to September 2008. He is proficient in Russian and Japanese languages and has some knowledge of French and Hebrew.